Best ABA Programs in Miami (2026)
The ABA and BCBA programs a Miami student can actually attend, what behavior analysts earn across the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metro, the South Florida employers hiring RBTs and BCBAs right now, and the Florida license you need to practice.
Key Takeaways
- Behavior analysts in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metro earn a BLS median of $57,290 (the category that includes behavior analysts), about 3.5% below the $59,350 national median on paper. But BCBA-specific pay runs far higher, with Glassdoor putting the Miami-area BCBA average near $90,700 and Indeed reporting over $110,000, and Florida has no state income tax.
- Miami has real campus options: the University of Miami runs an ABAI-verified 42-credit M.S. in Psychology with an ABA track, and Florida International University offers an ABAI-accredited M.S. in Behavior Analysis you can finish in 18 months. See the full program list.
- If you want fully online, you can earn a Florida ABA master's from Miami through Florida Tech (ABAI-accredited on campus), University of West Florida, and Florida Atlantic University, which charges in-state rates to all online students.
- South Florida is one of the deepest ABA job markets in the country. ABA Centers of Florida, Acorn Health in Coral Gables, Centria Autism, plus Nicklaus Children's Hospital and three of the largest school districts in the country all hire BCBAs and RBTs. See top employers.
- To practice independently in Miami you need a Florida behavior analyst license through the Florida Department of Health on top of your BACB certification.
Miami anchors the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metro, which is one of the largest ABA job markets in the United States by employment. South Florida has a big, fast-growing population, high autism diagnosis rates, and strong insurance coverage for ABA therapy, including the Florida Statewide Medicaid Managed Care expansion that began reimbursing ABA services in February 2025. That combination keeps demand for credentialed behavior analysts high across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, and it pulls national ABA providers into the region year after year.
For students, Miami is unusual among big Florida cities because you have two genuinely strong local campus programs. The University of Miami M.S. in Psychology runs an ABAI-verified ABA track, a 42-credit program completed over five consecutive semesters with practicum in University of Miami training clinics. A few miles west, Florida International University offers an ABAI-accredited, cohort-based M.S. in Behavior Analysis you can finish in 18 months, with up to 1,500 supervised fieldwork hours built into the curriculum. If you are willing to drive a little north, Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale and Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton both serve the South Florida market.
The other thing Miami has going for it is take-home pay. Florida has no state income tax, so a behavior analyst salary in Miami stretches further than the same nominal number in California or New York. The metro BLS median for the broad counselor category sits just under the national figure, but that category lumps behavior analysts in with lower-paid counselors. BCBA-specific pay reported by employers and job boards lands in the $90,000s and frequently north of $110,000 for experienced clinical and regional roles. Add in employer-paid supervision, sign-on bonuses, and tuition reimbursement from the larger providers, and the RBT-to-BCBA path in Miami is one of the more financially sensible in the Southeast.
ABA Programs You Can Attend From Miami
All 7 programs ranked in this guide, with tuition, format, and accreditation at a glance.
| # | School | In-State Tuition | Format | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Miami: M.S. in Psychology (Applied Behavior Analysis) | Private, flat rate (~$2,300/credit, scholarships available) | On-campus | |
| 2 | Florida International University: M.S. in Behavior Analysis | ~$431/credit in-state (~$19,400 total, 45 credits) | Hybrid | |
| 3 | Nova Southeastern University: M.S. in Applied Behavior Analysis | ~$1,308/credit (private, flat rate) | Fully online | |
| 4 | Florida Atlantic University: M.Ed. in Special Education (ABA Concentration) | ~$5,467/year in-state | Fully online | |
| 5 | Florida Institute of Technology: M.A. in Behavior Analysis Professional Practice (Online) | $530/credit (~$17,490 total, 33 credits) | Fully online | |
| 6 | University of West Florida: M.S. in Applied Behavior Analysis (Online) | $384/credit (~$15,360 total, 40 credits) | Fully online | |
| 7 | University of South Florida: Online M.A. in Applied Behavior Analysis | $600/credit (~$24,600 total, 41 credits) | Fully online |
University of Miami: M.S. in Psychology (Applied Behavior Analysis)
In-State
Private, flat rate (~$2,300/credit, scholarships available)
Out-of-State
Private, flat rate (~$2,300/credit, scholarships available)
Length
~2 years (42 credits, 5 consecutive semesters)
Field Hours
1,500 supervised experience hours (15 hours/week practicum)
Concentrations
- ABAI-verified course sequence meeting all BACB coursework and content-hour requirements
- 42-credit program completed across five consecutive semesters starting each fall
- Supervised practicum embedded in University of Miami ABA training clinics, 15 hours per week
- Located in Coral Gables at the center of the Miami-Dade ABA employer network
- Graduates meet the instructional and practicum requirements to sit for the BCBA exam
Florida International University: M.S. in Behavior Analysis
In-State
~$431/credit in-state (~$19,400 total, 45 credits)
Out-of-State
~$660/credit out-of-state
Length
18 months (45 credits, cohort-based)
Field Hours
Up to 1,500 concentrated supervised fieldwork hours
Concentrations
- ABAI-accredited M.S. in Psychology with a major in Behavior Analysis
- Cohort-based, lockstep structure completed in just 18 months
- Up to 1,500 supervised fieldwork hours built into three semesters of practicum
- New cohorts start twice a year, fall (face-to-face plus online) and spring (online live)
- Affordable public-university tuition for Florida residents at Miami's largest university
Nova Southeastern University: M.S. in Applied Behavior Analysis
In-State
~$1,308/credit (private, flat rate)
Out-of-State
~$1,308/credit (private, flat rate)
Length
~2 years (30 to 36 credits)
Field Hours
1,500 supervised experience hours
Concentrations
- Fully online ABA coursework through the College of Education and School of Criminal Justice
- Based in Fort Lauderdale, about 30 miles up I-95 from downtown Miami
- ABAI- and BACB-aligned course sequence that prepares you for the BCBA exam
- Large private university with a deep alumni network across South Florida ABA providers
- Multiple start dates throughout the year for flexible enrollment
Florida Atlantic University: M.Ed. in Special Education (ABA Concentration)
In-State
~$5,467/year in-state
Out-of-State
In-state rates for all online students
Length
~2 years
Field Hours
1,500 clinical experience hours
Concentrations
- Out-of-state online students pay in-state tuition, one of the most affordable options anywhere
- Fully online delivery, so a Miami student never has to commute to Boca Raton
- BCBA course sequence paired with 1,500 hours of clinical experience
- South Florida program with an established practicum network across the Miami metro
- Strong special-education foundation that pairs well with school-district BCBA jobs
Florida Institute of Technology: M.A. in Behavior Analysis Professional Practice (Online)
In-State
$530/credit (~$17,490 total, 33 credits)
Out-of-State
$530/credit (~$17,490 total, 33 credits)
Length
2 years (33 credits)
Field Hours
1,500 supervised experience hours
Concentrations
- 71% first-time BCBA exam pass rate (2024 online), well above the 54% national average
- On-campus program has historically posted near-perfect BCBA pass rates
- Flat $530/credit regardless of residency, about $17,490 total for 33 credits
- Start any semester with no waiting for fall or spring enrollment cycles
- Home to Florida Tech's School of Behavior Analysis with internationally recognized faculty
University of West Florida: M.S. in Applied Behavior Analysis (Online)
In-State
$384/credit (~$15,360 total, 40 credits)
Out-of-State
$384/credit with tuition waiver (~$15,360 total)
Length
2 years (40 credits)
Field Hours
1,500 supervised experience hours
Concentrations
- Out-of-state tuition waiver covers up to 90% of nonresident fees, effectively in-state pricing
- One of the most affordable ABA master's in Florida at roughly $15,360 total
- Fully online with flexible scheduling, built for working RBTs in the Miami metro
- Prepares you for three certifications: BCBA, QBA, and IBA
- Complete your 1,500 supervised hours at a Miami clinic while you take classes online
University of South Florida: Online M.A. in Applied Behavior Analysis
In-State
$600/credit (~$24,600 total, 41 credits)
Out-of-State
$600/credit (~$24,600 total, 41 credits)
Length
1.5 years (41 credits)
Field Hours
1,500 supervised experience hours
Concentrations
- Same USF faculty and curriculum as the ABAI-accredited on-campus program in Tampa
- Flat $600/credit regardless of residency, about $24,600 total
- Completable in 1.5 years, faster than most thesis tracks, with no thesis required
- Fully online, so a Miami student finishes without leaving South Florida
- Supervised fieldwork arranged at approved sites near you in the Miami metro
Florida Behavior Analyst Licensure for Miami Practitioners
The licensing board, exam pathway, and supervised hours you'll need to practice independently.
Licensing Board
Florida Department of Health, Behavior Analysis Licensure
To practice as a behavior analyst in Miami you need a Florida license through the Florida Department of Health on top of your national BACB certification. The credential applies statewide, so the rules are identical whether you work in Miami, Hialeah, Fort Lauderdale, or West Palm Beach. You need both active BACB certification and a Florida license to bill and supervise legally. There is no separate Florida exam: the state accepts the BACB exam as meeting the examination requirement, so a Miami practitioner who passes the BCBA exam applies to the Department of Health to convert that certification into a Florida license.
The two relevant Florida credentials are the Licensed Behavior Analyst for master's-level independent practice and the Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst for bachelor's-level practice under supervision. Florida also has a unique historical credential, the Florida Certified Behavior Analyst (FL-CBA), a legacy designation from the state's original certification program that operated through the Department of Children and Families until 2003. The BACB now administers these legacy certificants. No new FL-CBAs are issued, so every new Miami behavior analyst pursues BCBA certification.
Every Miami applicant submits a state application, proof of BACB certification, and clears a background check. If you are an RBT working at a Miami clinic, your RBT credential comes straight from the BACB and does not require a separate Florida license, but the BCBA who supervises you must hold an active Florida license. As of February 2025, ABA services are reimbursed through the Florida Statewide Medicaid Managed Care program, which has pushed demand for licensed analysts even higher across South Florida.
Licensed Behavior Analyst (Florida DOH)
Independent practice of applied behavior analysis: assessment, treatment design, supervision of RBTs and assistants in Miami clinics, homes, and schools
Hours
1,500
Duration
Associate
Exam: BCBA Exam (BACB); no separate Florida exam
Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst (Florida DOH)
Practice of ABA under licensed behavior analyst supervision: implement and monitor treatment plans
Hours
1,000
Duration
Associate
Exam: BCaBA Exam (BACB); no separate Florida exam
Florida Certified Behavior Analyst
Same as BCBA, independent ABA practice, valid only in Florida
Hours
N/A
Duration
Associate
Exam: N/A, legacy designation administered by the BACB
Florida does not run a formal reciprocity agreement, but because licensure ties directly to BACB certification, relocating to Miami is straightforward. If you already hold current BCBA certification in good standing, you apply for a Florida license by submitting your application, proof of certification, and clearing the background check. There is no extra Florida exam or repeated supervised-practice period for certified behavior analysts moving into the Miami market. Processing times vary, so apply early if you are timing a move to South Florida around a job start date.
Behavior Analyst & BCBA Salary in Miami
BLS state median wages by counseling specialty, with national comparison and top-paying metros.
Miami-area behavior analysts look slightly underpaid on the headline BLS number, but that figure is misleading, and the gap closes fast once you account for taxes and the BCBA premium. The BLS Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metro data below covers the broad behavioral-disorder and mental-health counselor category (SOC 21-1018), which is the standard proxy for behavior analysts but also includes lower-paid counseling roles. The metro median of $57,290 sits about 3.5% under the $59,350 national median, with roughly 10,240 people employed in the category and a 10th-to-90th percentile range of $39,650 to $83,910. BCBA-specific pay reported by employers runs much higher: Glassdoor puts the Miami-Fort Lauderdale BCBA average near $90,700, and Indeed reports over $110,000 across recent job postings, with experienced clinical and regional roles topping $125,000. Because Florida has no state income tax, a Miami BCBA keeps more of every paycheck than a peer earning the same number in California or New York, which can be worth several thousand dollars a year.
Behavioral Disorder & Mental Health Counselors (incl. Behavior Analysts), Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach
National median: $59,350
Top metro: $57,290 (Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach)
BCBA-Certified Professionals, Miami (employer-reported)
National median: $78,000
Top metro: $114,305 (Miami metro)
RBT / Behavior Technicians, Miami (employer-reported)
National median: $37,800
Top ABA Employers and Jobs in Miami
Major employers, mental health shortage context, and loan repayment programs that erase debt for service.
South Florida is one of the deepest ABA job markets in the country, and the Miami metro sits at the center of it. The clinic side is dense with both Florida-grown and national providers. ABA Centers of Florida recruits BCBAs and RBTs across home, school, and community settings throughout Miami-Dade. Acorn Health runs a center in Coral Gables and posts BCBA and behavior-technician roles regularly, and Centria Autism openly advertises Miami BCBA positions with sign-on and relocation bonuses, some over six figures. Locally owned clinics round out the picture: Blossom Center for ABA Learning in South Miami, A1A Behavioral Health in Doral, Cultivate Behavioral Health serving all of Miami-Dade, and Koala ABA in Pinecrest and Cutler Bay all hire credentialed analysts. North of the city, BlueSprig Autism (Florida Autism Center) and Hopebridge operate centers elsewhere in Florida and frequently expand into new markets.
Beyond the clinic chains, two other employer types matter in Miami. The first is healthcare: Nicklaus Children's Hospital, the largest pediatric hospital in South Florida, employs behavior analysts and behavioral health technicians through its Adaptive Care program for children with autism and related disabilities. The second is the public schools, which hire behavior analysts and behavior specialists directly. The big districts post these roles year-round: Miami-Dade County Public Schools (the third-largest district in the country), Broward County Public Schools (the sixth-largest), and the School District of Palm Beach County all employ BCBAs to support special education. These jobs come with a school calendar plus a path to Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
The engine under all of this is insurance coverage. Florida's autism insurance mandate requires many state-regulated plans to cover ABA therapy, and the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care program began reimbursing ABA services in February 2025, opening access for thousands more South Florida families. Steady coverage means steady demand, which is why the RBT-to-BCBA pipeline works so well in Miami. Most students start as a Registered Behavior Technician at one of the clinics above, earn their 1,500 supervised fieldwork hours on the job while a clinic BCBA signs off, finish an online or local master's, sit the BCBA exam, and then apply for the Florida license. Many of these employers pay for your supervision and reimburse part of your tuition, so it is genuinely possible to get certified in Miami without taking on a mountain of debt.
Loan Repayment & Scholarship Programs
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF): BCBAs employed by Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Broward County Public Schools, the School District of Palm Beach County, Nicklaus Children's Hospital, or nonprofit ABA providers qualify for federal PSLF after 120 qualifying payments.
Employer-paid supervision and tuition reimbursement: Miami clinics like ABA Centers of Florida, Acorn Health, and Centria advertise paid BCBA supervision, tuition reimbursement, and sign-on bonuses, which cuts your real cost of certification.
No Florida state income tax: More of every Miami paycheck goes toward loan principal, so the same salary pays debt down faster than it would in a high-tax state.
Low-cost in-state programs: Pairing an affordable online master's like University of West Florida (~$15,360 total) or Florida Tech (~$17,490) with a paid RBT job is the cheapest realistic route to BCBA from Miami.
How to Choose an ABA Program in Miami
Decision factors that actually matter, not generic checklist filler.
From Miami the real decision is campus versus online, and which local employer you want to grow into. Use these factors to narrow it down.
If you want an accredited program inside Miami: Florida International University is ABAI-accredited and finishes in 18 months, and the University of Miami runs an ABAI-verified 42-credit M.S. with embedded practicum. FIU is the more affordable public option; the University of Miami is private but well-connected to local clinics.
If you need to work full-time while you study: go online. Florida Tech (ABAI-accredited on campus), University of West Florida, USF Online, and Nova Southeastern all let you keep an RBT job at a Miami clinic and bank supervised hours while you take classes.
If cost is the deciding factor: University of West Florida online (~$15,360 total with the out-of-state waiver) and Florida Tech online (~$17,490) are the cheapest, and Florida Atlantic charges in-state rates to every online student.
If you want the highest BCBA pass rate: Florida Tech's on-campus program posts near-perfect rates and its online program hit 71% in 2024, both well above the 54% national average.
If you will commute or relocate a little: Nova Southeastern in Fort Lauderdale and Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton are both inside the metro, roughly 30 to 50 miles north of downtown Miami.
Match the program to the employer you want: school-district BCBA roles at Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach reward the special-education-heavy curricula at FAU and Nova, while the clinic chains like ABA Centers of Florida, Acorn Health, and Centria care most that you are certified and Florida-licensed.
Related Pages
ABA Programs in Florida
The full statewide guide to Florida ABA programs and licensure
BCBA Career Guide
What BCBAs actually do day-to-day
BCBA Salary Data
Salary data by state, experience, and employer type
Best Online ABA Programs
National ranking of the top online ABA master's programs
ABA Programs in Atlanta
ABA programs, salary, and employers in the Atlanta metro
ABA Programs in Charlotte
ABA programs, salary, and employers in the Charlotte metro
Sources
- BLS: Occupational Employment and Wages, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL (May 2025)
- Florida Department of Health: Behavior Analysis Licensure
- BACB: Verified Course Sequences
- ABAI: Accredited Programs Directory
- University of Miami: Applied Behavior Analysis (M.S.)
- Florida International University: Behavior Analysis Graduate Programs
- Acorn Health: ABA Therapy in Florida (Coral Gables)
- Glassdoor: BCBA Salary in Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL